Many anxious jobseekers have requested news of the hiring process at Pratt Industries, which announced last week the opening of its new facility in Niles Township.

According to Shelley Klug, executive director of the Southwestern Michigan Economic Growth Alliance, Pratt, a company that manufactures specialty trailers and chassis for intermodal transportation, will announce sometime in the next several months when it will accept applications.

The manufacturer reported it would create 200 to 400 jobs in the near future, and plans to open before the end of the year. It will locate in the 300,000-square-foot former United Fixtures building, 2070 S. Third St.

Florida-based Pratt also owns a facility in Bridgman, which is at full capacity with 125 employees. A facility in Stevensville is also at full capacity.

The most recently available data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the Niles-Benton Harbor area at 9.9 percent in February, down from 10.1 percent in January. It peaked at 14.5 percent in January 2010, and dipped as low as 8.5 percent in October and November 2011.